Victoria was sitting at the desk when she heard the front door open and slam shut; Nick was at home. She sighed as she knew he would most likely be in a foul mood. She heard him bellow her name as he walked into the study.
"Mother! Mother!" Nick stopped when he saw Victoria sitting behind the desk and frowned. He motioned to her and spat, "You don't belong there."
Victoria cut her eyes at him and said sternly, "Nicholas I am in no mood for your foolishness today." Victoria got up and glided to the settee.
Nick was at the drink cart and had already downed one whiskey and was pouring another when his mother patted the seat next to him. He sighed as he knew she wanted to talk and he was pretty sure he knew what it was about. He put his drink down and sat beside his mother.
"Nicholas we need to talk."
Nick sighed again and said, "Let me guess, about Jarrod?"
"No, about you and your attitude."
Nike huffed and said, "My attitude is his fault."
"Nicholas Jonathan Barkley! You will not blame this on your brother." Victoria stood up and continued sternly, "Nick are you fully aware of everything your brother did for this ranch?"
"Hmph, not very much."
Victoria walked back to the desk and picked up the accounting book and tossed it on Nick's lap as she said, "Look at the records Nick."
Nick looked at his mother and at the book but he really wasn't sure what he was looking at. "What about it?"
Victoria sighed in disgust at her rancher son, "Whose name is missing on the payroll records?" She pointed to an area in the books as Nick looked. She stood silently with her arms crossed on her chest and waited for Nick to spot it. Finally after a few minutes Victoria had lost her patience and grabbed the book back from Nick and said, "Jarrod's name is missing from the payroll. Since the day he took over running the business portion of the ranch your brother has never paid himself."
Nick tried to protest but Victoria walked to the desk and picked up another book and put it in Nick's lap as well. "Look at the expenses for the ranch. Notice another name missing from the list?"
Nick was more familiar with this paperwork and noticed immediately he didn't see his brother's name listed anywhere. He frowned as he knew of all the traveling his brother had done for the ranch and the number of times he had to bail the ranch hands out of jail and pay for the damages. Nick flipped through a few more pages and scratched his head in confusion.
"This can't be right. I know for a fact Jarrod has been out of town and state several times handling ranch business."
Victoria added, "Not to mention the numerous times he's had to bail you or one of the ranch hands out of jail."
Nick sighed as he searched for an answer, "It must be a mistake."
Victoria sat beside Nick, "It's not. I talked to Jarrod earlier and he felt it was his way of contributing to the ranch."
Nick frowned knowing how much money Jarrod must have spent out of his own pocket. "That doesn't make any sense."
Victoria sighed, "He felt since he did not work on the ranch as much as you did it was his way of contributing to the ranch. He hasn't paid or reimbursed himself since he took over the bookkeeping ten years ago Nick."
Nick ran his hands through his hair. "Where's he getting his money from?"
Victoria smirked, "Your brother has two very successful law practices."
"So he hasn't paid himself anything?" Nick asked incredulously.
"No he hasn't."
Nick got up suddenly and poured himself another whiskey, "But that doesn't make any sense. Why wouldn't he pay himself or at least get his money back for his expenses?"
"He didn't feel it was right to pay himself for doing something he thought he was supposed to do in the first place."
Nick gulped down his whiskey in one shot and paced, "Well I guess that makes sense..."
Victoria interrupted Nick angrily, "Nicholas that does not make any sense. Your brother put in as much hard work on this ranch as any of us have. So are you saying Audra is not entitled to any money since she doesn't work on the ranch?"
Nick stammered, "Well...ah no of course not. But..."
"Nick, you should be ashamed of yourself. This ranch is a family run business with each member contributing in their own way. Just because your brother doesn't go on any round-ups, cattle drives or mend fences doesn't mean he isn't entitled to any of the money. He is the one who kept it running after your father was killed and we both know it. He was there for you and me and never once complained because he thought it was his responsibility to the family. And now that we have all moved on with our lives it's time for your brother to do the same. We both know Jarrod always wanted to be an attorney and he worked hard establishing his practices but he put them on hold when your father was killed. Now it's time for him to concentrate on what makes him happy and that is being an attorney."
Nick sighed as he sat back down and put his head in his hands. "But..."
Victoria sat next to Nick, "No buts Nick. Jarrod has offered to continue handling the legal responsibilities of the ranch with one exception." Victoria paused briefly, "That it is done during business hours and I don't think that is asking too much."
Nick got up and started pacing again, "Well it is. What am I supposed to do? Ride into town and schedule a meeting with my brother to talk about the ranch?"
Victoria closed her eyes briefly and said, "That is the only thing he is asking Nicholas and I personally don't think it's asking too much."
Nick huffed, "Well it is. My work day starts at five am and doesn't end till dark so am I supposed to waste a half a day riding into town to talk to my brother when I can do it right here?"
Victoria blew out a disgusted breath, "Well then fine Nick. Go hire an attorney and see how willing he is to work according to your schedule while you pay him."
Nick poured another drink while he watched his mother; he knew she was upset at him. "Mother can't you see my side on this?"
"Yes I do Nick but I also see Jarrod's side as well..."
Nick interrupted angrily, "And as usual you are taking his side." He gulped the whiskey down.
Victoria glared at Nicholas and threw her hands in the air, "I give up. Go hire an attorney and see how willing he is to work when it's convenient for you. Oh he may meet you after business hours or nights and weekends but he will charge, you can be guaranteed of that. But you better do it fast because we have two very large mining contracts coming up for negotiations that need to be looked at sooner rather than later."
Victoria stormed out of the study leaving Nick by the drink cart. He sighed as he sat down on the settee and picked the accounting books once again. He glanced over them and mumbled angrily to himself.
As usual mother took Jarrod's side and now she discovers he hasn't been paying himself or reimbursing himself for his expenses. Nick knew for a fact Jarrod had expenses for all of his traveling but it wasn't his fault if he didn't get his money back. Now mother thinks he's some sort of savior for coming in after his father had been killed and saving the family. It wasn't like they were on the brink of failing or anything like that. Nick thought Jarrod did what he was supposed to do and if he didn't pay himself or get his money back well that's not his fault.
Nick decided he would ride into town and see about hiring an attorney to take over the legal responsibilities for the ranch as he was in no mood to deal with anymore contracts or negotiations.